Field emission devices (FEDs) are known in the art and commonly employed as electronic devices. FEDs, typically, include at least an electron emitter, for emitting electrons, and an extraction electrode, proximally disposed with respect to the electron emitter. Other FED structures may employ a separate anode for collecting at least some of any emitted electrons.
Digital to analog (D/A) information conversion is a known device function. In one realization of a D/A conversion a plurality of FEDs is selectively operably interconnected as independent groups of FEDs to provide prescribed electron emission current levels determined by which of the groups of the plurality of groups is in the active (on) mode. A shortcoming of this method of realizing distinct electron emission levels is that large arrays of FEDs need be employed since each distinct electron emission level is realized by a particular group of FEDs of the array of FEDs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a digital to analog (D/A) information conversion device which overcomes at least some of these shortcomings.